Hunted
by Saberfiend
Summary: Lillian O'Kelly, one of England's few female detectives, has been hunting an elusive murderer for the last 8 years. With nothing to show for it, the Queen enlists the help of none other than the Guard Dog himself - Ciel Phantomhive, and his mysterious butler, Sebastian Michaelis. Though, unknown to the two, not everything about this case is as black and white as it seems.
1. Chapter 1

Ciel P.O.V

"You're _absolutely sure_ this is the right place?" I grumble at my butler through the rain, staring at the front door to The Roaring Lion, a pub located on the northern end of Irish-dominated Portsmouth. The sound of rowdy laughter and music can be heard from the building even through the thundering rain.  
"I am quite sure, my young lord." Sebastian replies, leading me up to the front door. "The Queen specifically said we would find the detective here. After you." The bar is packed with unruly, drunken Irishmen - some singing, some fighting, but most seem to just laugh and talk amongst themselves. Sebastian and I attempt to make our way to the barkeep, before a man at one of the nearby tables catches our attention. "Oi!" He yells out, his voice deep and rough. "What do ya think yer doin'?" His light green eyes glare us down, furrowed brows showing his anger. The loudness of the pub quiets down because of the yelling, curious eyes searching for the source of the commotion.  
Sebastian steps in front of me, bowing slightly to the drunkard. "I apologize if we have disturbed you, good sir. My master and I are just searching for someone - we were told they could be found here."  
"Ain't no bloody man in this bar wants to talk to some pompous Brit an' his brat." The man growls, rising drunkenly to his feet. He opens his mouth to speak again, but someone in the back of the crowd interrupts.  
"That was rather rude, MacCarthy." To my surprise, a female voice rises up in the silence, an interesting discovery in this sea of testosterone. "Last I checked, pompous Brits are the whole reason you have money to your name." This MacCarthy fellow turns around, face almost as red as his beard, to watch with the rest of us as the source of the voice walks to the front of the pub. She crosses her arms and stares up the Irishman in front of her, unfazed by his anger. "These gentlemen said they're looking for someone. Let them search, and I'm sure they'll be on their way." A disgruntled mutter is the man's only response, sitting back down in his seat to return to his drink. The rest of the crowd soon follow his lead, allowing Sebastian and I to return to our work undisturbed. "Apologies, boys. MacCarthy is a bit aggressive when he gets too into his drink." Her piercing green eyes look us up and down, almost as if scanning for something. My eyes instantly shift from her eyes to the long scars across her face. _Such dramatic scarring... no human could accomplish that. What could have caused it?_ I ask myself, purely out of morbid curiosity. She seems to notice my staring and shakes her head slightly, letting some of her auburn hair fall into her face. Self conscious, it seems, as anyone would be. "Who are you two looking for? I know... well, pretty much everyone who comes in here. Perhaps I could be of some help?"  
"We would be most appreciative of your help." Sebastian nods, smiling politely. "We are looking for a Detective O'Kelly. Would you happen to know him?"  
"In fact I do. Detective Lillian O'Kelly, at your service." She responds softly, holding out her hand for Sebastian to shake.

"You've got some balls coming in here, I'll give you that." She murmurs, leaning back slightly in her chair with a drink in hand. "Not too many Brits come through this pub."  
"Your accent is rather interesting. Irish heritage?" I ask curiously.  
"My father Cormac sailed here from Baltinglass to escape poverty. My mother was born in Cardigan. I suppose I got a mix of their accents growing up." She takes a thoughtful sip of her drink, glancing around the room before continuing. "Why were you two looking for me?"  
Sebastian leans forward slightly, keeping his voice low. "The Queen mentioned you were working on a case. A murderer, still loose in London, with no leads or ties whatsoever. We were asked to... come help. See of we could be of assistance."  
She falls silent for a while, seeming to ponder the situation she's been placed in. The quiet banter of the tavern guests serves as a somewhat relaxing background noise while we wait for her to speak. She takes a thoughtful drink, and finally responds. "Well, I could use the help... but it's a bit of a... a personal case. I won't be able to share every detail with you."  
"Just give us whatever we need to help." I chime in. "I understand the need to keep some details to yourself, just don't leave us too far in the dark."  
"No, no, of course not. I have no intention of leaving you two uninformed, there's just... ah... _sensitive_ information I'd rather leave unknown." Finishing off her drink, she yawns softly and rises from her seat. "Well, gentlemen, it was lovely to meet you. I'm sure we'll get to talk more as we work this case together, but unfortunately I have a son waiting for me at home." She produces a pencil and a small notepad from her coat, scribbling something on a piece of paper before handing it to me. "Feel free to contact me at my office, or come by my address. I'm sure we'll have much to discuss on this case." She shakes both mine and Sebastian's hands and bids us goodnight, paying the bartender before leaving the bar.


	2. Chapter 2

"O'Kelly! You're late - again." Chief Harrington growls, scowling at me as I approach the latest murder scene. "If you're hungover again, I swear to God-"  
"Bloody hell, Harrington, I had three drinks last night. Excuse me for needing some time to relax." He waves the smoke of my lit cigarette out of his face, the scowl never wavering.  
"If you keep this up, woman, I'll have your job."  
"Well, now, wouldn't we both be a disappointment to my father, then?" Silence follows my words, and I take that as a sign to move on. Nodding to a few officers as I pass by, I make my way into the home of the victim, grimacing at the gruesome sight before me. Dark crimson blood coats the floor in a trail leading up the stairs, the furniture of the living room knocked over or just outright smashed. Before I steel my nerves and head up the stairs, a familiar voice breaks through the muttering of the policemen around me.  
"Detective."  
A soft sigh escapes my lips. "Lord Phantomhive." I respond, turning to face the young lad and his rather intimidating servant. "I don't believe I caught your name last we met, sir. What might I call you?"  
He cracks a sly smile, placing a hand over his heart and giving me a small bow. "Sebastian Michaelis, my lady."  
"Sebastian." I nod and shake his hand. His grip is rather soft, to my surprise - no doubt a side effect of working for nobles. "Hate to meet again on such awful terms, but... well, work is work. Returning to the task at hand, you can clearly see the room is a fuckin' mess. I've plans to head upstairs, see where the trail leads - care to follow, lads, or will you two be remaining down here?"  
"We'd follow, if you don't mind." Ciel responds swiftly, proceeding to the stairs with me. "I may be young, but I can almost guarantee I've seen worse."  
"Well, I'm sorry to hear that, Lord Phantomhive. Apologies for making assumptions." The rest of the short walk up the stairs is silent. As we reach the second floor, the rest of the blood trail can be seen leading beneath one of the doors. A slight turn of the knob reveals it to be unlocked. I take a deep breath to prepare myself for what's inside, but before I can enter, a noise coming from the room next to it catches my attention. "Did either of you hear that?"  
Silence ensues - at least, for the next few moments - before the noise picks up again.  
"It sounds like... crying?" Sebastian tilts his head curiously.  
"Good, then I'm not going crazy." The walk over to the door sends chills up my spine, the eerie crying growing louder as we draw near. I produce my pistol from its holster, just in case, and gently tap on the door.  
"H-Help!" A child's voice calls from the other side - a young girl, by the sound of it. "My brother and I are locked in, please let us out!"  
Returning the pistol to my side, I try the doorknob - sure enough, it's locked. "Oh boy, here we go." I mutter, bracing my shoulder against the door. With a few hard slams, the lock snaps, and the door swings open. Inside, the girl sits on her bed, tears streaming down her face. A baby, swaddled in a blanket next to her, begins to fuss.  
"W-where's father?" She asks, wiping her eyes.  
A pang of sadness grips my heart, and with shaking hands I walk over and kneel before the poor kid. "Are you alright? You aren't hurt, are ya, lass?" I ask softly, trying to avoid the subject of her quite recently deceased parent.  
A quick nod is her response, her small hand reaching up to wipe her nose. "Is the monster gone?"  
"Monster?" Now that peaks my interest. My notepad is in my hand in a flash, and I hesitantly look back up at the child. "What did the monster look like?"  
A flash of fear shows in her eyes, but she swallows hard and begins to speak. "H-he was big... and scary. He had big claws, and teeth, and father locked us in here to keep us safe."  
"Did he have anything... recognizable? A scar, a tattoo, anything?"  
She thinks for a moment, clearly trying to remember, and gives me a small nod. "He had a scratch on his face, it looked like an 'X'. It was... uh... right here." She points to the right side of her face, just beneath her eye.  
My grip on my pencil tightens so hard, I feel the wood give way and snap. Sucking in a breath through my teeth, I pick up the piece that fell and return to the girl. "Did... did you hear a name?" I ask, swallowing back my probably obvious fear. She shakes her head, and I nod. "Alright, love. Let's get you out of here, shall we?" The notepad feels heavy in my pocket as I carefully lift the fussing baby off the bed, lifting her up as well and instructing her to keep her eyes closed until we've gotten outside. I pass them off to another officer, informing him of who they are, before heading inside.  
"A monster?" Ciel asks, glancing at Sebastian. The two have been eerily quiet during the exchange...  
"Young children have quite the active imaginations, don't they, Detective?" Sebastian responds, giving me an all-too-knowing look.  
"Yes... quite active." I mutter in reply, looking nervously at the blood-trailed door. "Well... back to business, yes?" Once again, we stand in front of the door. I grip the handle tight, preparing myself for whatever I might see, and hesitantly swing the door open.  
The inside is a fucking bloodbath. What appears to be the master bedroom is covered in blood - a few chunks of flesh here and there appear to be all that's left of the body. I swallow hard to keep from vomiting whatever's in my stomach, slowly stepping into the room.  
"Bloody hell." I hear the young Phantomhive mutter behind me, him and his butler following me inside. "I believe 'monster' was a rather accurate description."  
"No kiddin'." I mutter, looking around the room. Aside from the blood, everything else in the room seems to be relatively normal - bed is made, dresser drawers are still in place, desk is intact. "This monster clearly wasn't after anything except this poor bastard." I reach out to inspect a paper laying blood-soaked on the desk, when something drips onto my jacket sleeve. Something red. Slowly, I lift my head up, my gaze instantly locking on to the sigil painted in blood upon the ceiling. Pure, unadulterated fear grips my heart, and before Ciel can finish asking where I'm going, I'm already flying down the stairs and out the door.


	3. Chapter 3

"Lord Phantomhive? Thank you for takin' my call, I'm sure you're quite the busy lad. I, um... I wanted to apologize for runnin' out on ya the other day. There's a few things I wanted to explain in regards to that, and the case. What's your schedule like tomorrow?"  
Papers rustle on the other end, and a few quiet murmurs are exchanged.  
"I'm free tomorrow afternoon, does four o'clock work for you, Detective?"  
"Yes, that's fine." I sigh softly to myself - a bit out of relief, and a bit from nerves. "I'll see you then."

The Phantomhive manor is far larger than I had expected. I knew the Earl was important, but... not _this_ important. After taking a moment to admire the view of the estate, I make my way to the front door, barely knocking on the ornate wood twice before it swings open.  
"Ah, Ms. O'Kelly, wonderful to see you again." Sebastian greets me with a smile, bowing slightly. "Please, do come in." He steps to the side as I enter, closing the door softly behind me. "Please follow me, madame. The young master is in his study."  
On the rather lengthy walk to the study, Sebastian tells me a bit about the manor - the origin of various pieces of art, the large fire three years ago, and how the young Phantomhive boy has been working to rebuild it all from the ground up. It's rather remarkable, in all honesty. A large crash coming from downstairs catches my attention, and Sebastian picks up the pace, muttering something about the servants. We reach the door to the study and Sebastian stops. "Please forgive me, but I must leave you for a moment - I do believe the other servants might require my aid. You'll find the young master in here, I shall return in but a moment." He gives me an apologetic bow before hurriedly heading toward the sound of the crash.  
I sigh quietly and knock on the door, hearing a muffled "come in" from the other side of the door. Turning the knob and walking in, I catch sight of Ciel sitting with his head on his desk. I can't help a small chuckle that escapes my lips. "Tired, are you?"  
"An earl's work is never done, we'll leave it at that." He sighs, picking his head up and gesturing to the seat across from him. "You wanted to talk about the other day, at the victim's house?"  
"Yes, I did." I murmur in reply, taking a seat. "This is a bit of a long story, and I'd rather not go into personal detail, but... this murderer, he isn't new to this." I place a few old newspaper articles on his desk. "I don't know where he came from, but he terrorized my family for years when I was young. He... murdered my mother, and... other things I would rather not talk about." Ciel raises and eyebrow, and I swallow hard, returning to the articles. "He's been at this for years, as you can see, but it's been so erratic and far between that no one thought to make the connections. I've been tryin' to get the bastard for a while now."  
"Then what's stopping you?" He asks,glancing over one of the articles. "You seem to know who you're after."  
"Fear." I mutter plainly, earning a curious glance from the young man. Sebastian walks into the room as I continue. "This man - if you can even call him that - has done... terrible things. I've seen what he does first hand, and to be quite honest with you lad, I'm fuckin' terrified that he's come back."  
"Does he have a name?" Sebastian asks, picking up one of the articles on the desk.  
"Tomas Byrne, but it's a fake name. I've scoured countless records - estate sales, work places, anything I could get my hands on. Nothing." I run a hand through my hair, the frustration of the case flooding back to me. "The cunt practically doesn't fuckin' exist. I've only ever seen him twice - once when I was younger, and again only a few weeks before the victim was murdered the other day."  
"You _saw_ him? What happened?" Ciel asks, seeming to scan my reactions for something.  
"Nothing, really. The bastard was just taunting me." I let out a heavy sigh and put my head in my hands. "I want to bring him in, believe me - but he _terrifies_ me. I can't even think about him without feeling the urge to look over my shoulder." Taking a deep breath, I sit back up, shrugging at nothing in particular.  
The room falls quiet, Sebastian and Ciel sharing curious looks back and forth. Finally, after a moment, Sebastian clears his throat. "Does he have any affiliations?"  
"Yeah - the Order of the Blood Serpent, or some dumb shite like that. The Yard boys tried trackin' them down, and so far anyone on the short list we had all turned up dead or missing. I think Tomas is covering his tracks, but we can barely find anything left of the victims to put together any evidence."  
"A cult with a running list of lost members." He concludes, putting a finger on his chin in thought. "Is there anyone else left alive on the list?"  
"Just one - Maxwell White, over in Woolwich. If Tomas really is going after these men and women, that bastard's the only one left."  
Ciel nods. "He's also our only chance at a decent lead. We need to get to him before Tomas does." He puts the articles into a pile and hands them to me. "I'll leave Sebastian to figure out the details, and we'll call you when we have what we need. In the meantime, try to collect everything you have on this Tomas Byrnes and fill us in - we need all the information we can get, and you're the only one who knows this case."


	4. Chapter 4

The loud crack of wood splintering jolts me from my sleep, my fingers immediately wrapping around the pistol beneath my pillow. Cautiously, I sit up in bed, lighting a candle to illuminate my pitch black bedroom. Nothing appears when the shadows retreat from the light, but the sound of something moving out in the living room puts me on guard. Rising from my bed, I walk slowly across the cold wooden floor, and open my door just enough to see out into the rest of the house.  
The front door is wide open, and pieces of it are strewn about the room. Nothing else appears to have changed, however, I catch a glimpse of a shadow moving just around the corner to the kitchen. My grip on the pistol tightens, and my breath catches in my throat, but I remain in place. This is hardly the first time my home has been broken into, but something about this seems... off. The sounds of various things falling and smashing echos through the otherwise quiet building as whoever broke in clearly makes themselves at home. The shadow moves into my field of view - though I can't make out any details, it definitely seems to be looking for something. It suddenly stops and stands still as another sound drifts downstairs - the sound of a door opening.  
"Mum..?"  
My heart pounds painfully in my chest, the quiet sound of my son's footsteps falling on the stairs only adding to my fear. The shadow snaps its head in the direction of the stairs, but before it can react, I throw my door open and fire my pistol - not enough to kill, but definitely enough to wound. The footsteps halt on the stairs, and the realization comes to me too late that whatever I shot definitely wasn't human. The creature falls back into the moonlight emanating from the open door and lets out a terrifying shriek, unlike anything within the human vocal range. The light allows me a quick glance at what I'm really dealing with here - the shadowy creature stands just taller than myself, four limbs clawing at the bullet wound while two others attempt to keep the thing standing. The demon fixes its glowing white eyes on me and roars in fury.  
"Sam, get back upstairs, now!" I manage to yell out before it comes charging at me. I slam my bedroom door shut and lock it - not that it'll do much good, but it will buy me time. While it remains clawing and shrieking at my door, I throw my armoire open and grab what I can for the time I have. It tears a hole in my door, mouth open as it shrieks again, and I quickly throw a fistful of salt into its open jaws. Another shriek, and it retreats from the door. I can hear it scrambling around from the other side of the door, the smell of burning flesh nearly making me gag as I strap my tool belt to my hips. Throwing what remains of my bedroom door open, the demon barely a few feet from me, I steel my nerves and sink a syringe into one of its arms.  
It roars in agony, attempting to rip the syringe from its arm, and collapses on the floor. With what little time I have before it gets up, I open a bottle strapped to my belt and pour the contents in a circle around the creature.  
"Adolebitque, turpi viventum." I mutter softly, dipping my fingers in the bottle and painting a sigil on the floor in front of the hellish being. "Nunquam redeo hic, ut malediceret tibi: et tergum ad infernum in aeternum."  
The demon cries out in rage, and bursts into flames. It burns rather quickly, leaving no ashes in its wake - only a symbol left on the floor. A sigh of relief almost escapes my lungs, until I catch sight of what it left behind. Burned into the wood is the outline of a snake with something dripping from its fangs. The sigh of relief turns into one of frustration.  
"That fucking cult."

**Sebastian P.O.V**

The carriage slows to a halt as we reach our destination, and I hop out to open the door for the young master. As he steps down, and the carriage drives off, a small gasp of shock can be heard from the teen.  
"Bloody hell... what happened here?"  
The front door of the detective's house has been busted in, and what's left of it is barely hanging on by the hinges. Bits of broken glass and ceramic lay about the front entrance, and a couch stands as a barricade against the front door. Moving it out of the way, we make our way into the house. Blood stains the wall closest to the door, pieces of various dinnerware lay about the floor. Deep, claw-like cuts run along the walls and floor - the door farthest from us is covered in them, with a large hole in the center.  
"Detective O'Kelly?" Ciel calls out nervously, looking about the house.  
The click of a readied pistol catches our attention, and we turn to the ruined door at the other end of the room. The detective aims at us for just a moment before sighing in relief, exhaustion written all over her face.  
"Bloody hell... what are you blokes doin' here?" She asks, yawning as she exits the room.  
"We have the address of Maxwell White, we thought we would come discuss a plan with you..." He trails off, too distracted by the disaster around him. "What happened here?"  
Lillian shakes her head, placing her pistol in the holster on her hip. "The cult I told you about sent a de- members... sent _members_ after us." She corrects herself quickly, rubbing her eyes. "I was sleeping when the bastards broke in."  
As I look around the room, I notice something rather peculiar on the floor. While Ciel and the detective speak about what happened, I examine the burned symbol on the floor. A circle of what appears to be blood encases the figure of the snake, and a sigil of banishing lay just outside of it. _Well now... it would seem that there's a demon hunter in London._


	5. Chapter 5

Maxwell White - the supposed last member of the Order of the Blood Serpent. Hiding out in a quiet corner of Woolwich seems like a good idea for a wanted cultist. _How badly I want to bring this bastard in... him and his whole damn cult. I wonder if they remember the things they've done._  
Sebastian, Ciel and I have been staking out the house for the last two hours, just waiting for something to happen I suppose. We've had no real schedule to follow with the recent deaths, so we figured now would be as good a time as any to wait. The butler checks his pocket watch, and Ciel lets out a sigh.  
"It's getting late - I doubt they'll be out at this hour-"  
Seems he'd spoken too soon - before the young lord can finish, three hooded figures are briefly illuminated by the streetlights as they quietly slink toward Maxwell's home. Falling silent, we follow the three inside, careful not to be too obvious. The three continue single-file up the stairs, and quite obviously break into a room on the second floor.  
"Hey, what the-" An older male voice is cut off, and sounds of struggling echo in the otherwise empty building. We make our way upstairs and carefully look around the corner into the room. The two larger cultists hold Maxwell down, who has a gag wrapped around his mouth. The smaller figure stands with his back to us, staring down at the struggling man.  
"You've neglected your duties, Mr. White." The assumed leader speaks, his voice sounding off - like two or three men speaking at once. "You and the rest of those defecting failures. Did you really think I wouldn't come back?" He chuckles. "Those who remained loyal would never rest until I returned - and return I have. Though you knew that in your heart, didn't you... Detective?" My heart freezes in my chest as the figure turns his head slightly toward the door. "Do come out, won't you, love? Bring your little friends, as well."  
The three of us step out, though I stay slightly behind. _Something about that voice... the way he's talking... could it be him?_  
The cultist turns, and removes his hood. The mere sight of that familiar scar under his eye sends my body into an internal panic. It's Tomas - yet, not Tomas. His skin is far more pale, and his hair is gone - he looks like he hasn't eaten in days. His eyes glow slightly, seeming to burn right into my soul, and the sadistic look behind them brings back far too painful memories.  
"I assume you're here for him." He mutters, gesturing to the man behind him. "Why bother? I'm afraid this is all in vain, Detective - you'll never _really_ stop me, only delay the inevitable. The new order _will_ be brought to realization, with I at the head of its arrival." He grins, letting out another chuckle.  
"You're a fuckin' lunatic." I growl, refusing to take my eyes off the man. My voice cracks slightly from fear, and I move a shaky hand to grip my pistol. "No matter how many times you come back, we'll always send you running."  
"Oh, yes, hiding behind your precious headmaster as always. You hunters are so cowardly, you're setting a wonderful example for our son."  
"He's _not_ your son, you bastard." My voice is barely a whisper, but the twitch in his lips shows that he heard me nonetheless.  
Tomas tilts his head to the side, and the two cultists holding Maxwell tighten their grips. "No matter - all will be right, in time." He turns quickly, producing a blade from his belt and raising it above his head.  
"Sebastian, stop him!" Ciel calls out. Without hesitation, Sebastian knocks Tomas to the ground. I produce my pistol and fire at the men holding Maxwell down, hitting one in the shoulder and missing the other. Tomas shouts something at the unharmed cultist, who turns and directs his attention to dragging Sebastian off of his leader. The room begins to darken, turning almost pitch black in mere seconds, though the sound of scuffling can still be heard. I instinctively pull Ciel behind me, listening for anything getting too close.  
Tomas chuckles, and I swear I can feel his breath on the back of my neck as he speaks. "We'll meet again, my pretty Lily - your new friends won't keep me from what I want." His tongue flicks the back of my ear, and the light comes back into the room as I whip around, my knuckles white from gripping my pistol. Tomas is gone, but my nerves refuse to calm down. The cultists are here, but neither appear to be moving. Sebastian pushes one of the limp bodies off of him and rises to his feet, brushing his coat free of dirt and dust.  
"Well... that was less than helpful." He mutters. "Young master, are you alright?"  
"Quite." The teen nods, glancing toward the bed. "Detective?"  
"No.. no, he can't be...he was... but we..." It's getting harder to breathe. I can hear Ciel call me again, but the ringing in my ears drowns him out. My vision goes blurry, my thoughts pounding painfully in my head. _He can't be back, he can't be back, please oh god..._ My head begins to hurt, and I sink to my knees, one hand clutching my chest as I struggle to take a breath. _Why, why is he back?! Why does he continue to torment me?! He's going to find me again - no, he's going to find Sam! Why is the room so small? Why can't I breathe? Why, why, why-_  
"Detective!" Ciel calls once again, his voice cutting through more clearly this time. I manage a deep breath and shake my head, managing to focus my vision again. Sebastian lets go of my shoulders. Had he been shaking me? What happened? "Are you alright?" Ciel asks, his brow furrowed in concern.  
"I..." I sigh, my shoulders drooping with exhaustion. "I have a lot of explaining to do."


	6. Chapter 6

(A/N: There is an.. implied mention(?) of sexual assault towards the bottom of this chapter, purely for background reasons (it's just insinuated that it happened in the past). This entire chapter will probably be mostly backstory - if you think the implication will be triggering or discomforting for you in any way, don't be afraid to skip this chapter. You won't be missing much!)

Maxwell finally regains his composure and rises from his bed, looking anxiously between the two fallen cultists before settling his gaze on us. "How did you know they would be he-" His gaze falls on me a moment, and he stops. "Detective... I thought you'd given up the case."  
"Never." I snarl in reply, angrily straightening my coat. "You bastards honestly brought him back. I can't fuckin' believe you, was what happened last time not enough for you people?"  
"Now don't go lumping me in with them, I left!" The older man huffs, as if his departure rids him of his past grievances.  
"Is someone going to bring us up to speed, or are we supposed to be left guessing?" Ciel pipes up, tapping his finger on his cane impatiently. "I've been willing to put up with secrets, Ms. O'Kelly, but the events of tonight do beg an explanation."  
Mr. White picks his head up, eyes cloudy with memory. "Years ago, when I was still in this damned cult, we actually performed a demon summoning." He begins, very dramatically. He sits on his bed and rubs the balding spot on his head, like he's trying to think. "What was the bastard's name... Kenneth? Caldry?"  
"Kerrith." I mutter, swallowing down my rising nerves.  
"Ah, right. We had only performed part of the summoning, but he enticed us. Promised us fame, riches, all that we desired if we set him loose. Something about.. er.. revenge, perhaps? He was a right angry lad."  
To my surprise, the young earl and his butler seem to be paying attention.  
"So you continued with this... summoning." Ciel shoots Sebastian a glance, earning a smirk from the taller gentleman. "What happened then, and that still doesn't explain how you know the detective."  
Maxwell's jaw tightens, and averts everyone's gaze, staring instead at the floor.  
I sigh, and cross my arms. "Before we get into this, tell me, Phantomhive - why are ya takin' this so well?"  
The teen blinks in surprise, and clears his throat. "Well... let's say my family has had its fair share of.. supernatural experiences." The corner of Sebastian's mouth twitches, but I decide to leave it alone.  
"In that case... this goes back farther than the cult summoning. When we met, I told you two my father sailed here from Ireland. Well, while he was there, he got mixed up in... an organization who handles these types of messes. While in this organization, he was sent to take care of a demon - Kerrith. He sent the bastard back to hell and went on livin his bloody life, sailed here to England, started a family. Kerrith.. didn't take too kindly to bein' banished back home. So yes, Kerrith did come back for revenge."  
"At least we have a motive, and a bit of explanation." Ciel mutters, rubbing his temples. "This is... lovely. Everything is lovely. Is that all?"  
Maxwell White, who has been silent for the duration of the explanation, looks expectantly at me. I merely shake my head. "Not really, but.. the rest isn't important."  
"If you're somehow involved with this demon, it is." Sebastian finally breaks his silence, taking a step towards me. "Didn't I hear him say something about young Samuel, your son?" The mood of the room shifts, and I swear I feel something akin to claws at my brain. "What is your role in all of this, detective? Unfortunately, we've heard everyone's story - except yours."  
My chest starts to feel tight again, and I find myself unable to look away from him. That look... I don't like the way he's looking at me. It reminds me too much of.. of _him. _Taking a deep breath, my voice manages to break through the anxiety. "Assumptions are a dangerous game, lad."  
"I hate to assume, Miss, but I'm afraid I have no other choice until you explain your situation."  
_Please... please don't make me talk about it._ "Kerrith... came back, when I was about sixteen. He was looking for my father, but he had gone away on business for the shipping company he worked for. So he.. he took his anger out on my mother and I. He slaughtered my mother in front of me, and he... he..." I bite my lip and finally manage to look away, fighting the tears welling in my eyes. "Look, I... I didn't ask him to, alright? I'm not in league with a fuckin' demon, I.. I just fell victim to one."  
Sebastian blinks, seems to ponder my answer for a moment, and then bows. "My sincerest apologies, madame. I... seem to have made a grave assumption, I do beg your pardon." The energy in the room seems to lighten, and my head clears of the claws I felt before.  
Ciel clears his throat, and nods to the bodies of the cultists. "We'll have the Yard come clean this up, and decide what to do with Mr. White. Detective, if you've still got time, I'd like to talk with you more at my manor."

The carriage ride to the Phantomhive manor is quiet, at first. I just keep my gaze focused on the outside, wanting to avoid any more awkward conversation. After a time, however, the young earl speaks up.  
"A demon hunter, then?"  
I tense in my seat, slowly looking over to the boy. "What?"  
"You're a demon hunter." He replies plainly, as if completely unsurprised by the notion. "Your father before you, as well. Are you involved in the same 'organization' as him?"  
Shaking my head, I let out a heavy sigh. "Look - you're not exactly supposed to know anything about that, and they'll have my hide _and_ my son's if they find out you know anything. I'd prefer to leave out as much detail as possible, for your sake and mine."  
He nods in response, shooting Sebastian a glance. "Very well."  
The rest of the ride is silent, thankfully, and the carriage soon pulls up to the entrance of the manor. Sebastian steps out first, followed by Ciel and then myself. Both seem relieved the manor is still standing. Ciel leads us up to his study, and I sigh with exhaustion after reclining in one of the adjacent chairs. "I'm sorry." I mutter after a moment. "I never meant to drag you into all of this."  
"Don't be ridiculous. This is the type of mess the Phantomhives are accustomed to cleaning up." Ciel yawns, leaning forward in his seat. "However, this does make things significantly more difficult. Do you know where this Kerrith might be hiding out, or what his plans are?"  
"So far, it appears he's trying to regain strength. It doesn't look like the whole summoning was completed to bring the bastard back, so it's more or less like he's partly in our world, and partly in his. I'd say he's hiding out with a group of cultists somewhere, trying to get the poor sods to complete what they started."  
"Hm... very likely. Sebastian, do a bit of digging and see what you can find on any current cult locations. We've got quite the case ahead of us."


	7. Chapter 7

"Are ya sure ya don't want me to send some backup, lass?" My uncle pleads quietly as we exit the tavern, opening his umbrella to protect us from the evening's rain. "I can talk the Headmaster into sendin' at least one more hunter, even myself."  
"Ronan, I'm fine, bloody christ." I sigh softly and pat his shoulder, folding up the collar of my coat. "It's just one demon."  
"It's _him._" His hand reaches out and grips my arm tight. A few passersby seem to take notice, but thankfully no-one bothers us. "Huntin' demons ain't somethin' to take lightly, 'specially not ones like Kerrith. If ya freeze up for even a second, he won't hesitate."  
My jaw tightens slightly, but ultimately I know he's right. He releases his grip on my arm, and I brush out my jacket. "If I find myself in need of help, I'll call on you, but please uncle leave the Headmaster out of this."  
The older gentleman strokes his ginger beard, nodding slightly in satisfaction. "Aye, ya got yerself a deal." He checks his pocket watch and yawns. "I ought ta get home, afore the wife gets worried. Told her I wouldn't be out late. It was good to see ya again, lass - take care of yerself, ya understand? If anything happened to ya, yer old man would come back from the grave justta strangle me himself, God rest his soul."  
I feel the corner of my mouth twitch, but manage a smile and a nod. "Don't go huntin' drunk, ya bastard." He lets out a hearty laugh and claps me on the shoulder, waving for a carriage to take him home. Rather than just walk home, I decide to take a stroll down the street a bit before the sun goes down. There's so much more information, I just... need time to process, I suppose. There's not many people on the street, thankfully, and I take my walk in relative silence. Taking notice of a rather interestingly patterned horse pulling a nearby carriage, I don't even notice someone exit the shop in front of me until I'd already bumped into them.  
"Fuck, I'm so sor- .. Sebastian?" The two of us regain our composure, and I quickly recognize them to be the Phantomhive butler. "My apologies, I wasn't payin' any attention."  
"You're quite alright." He brushes out his tailcoat and bows slightly to me in greeting.  
"What are ya doin' out this late? This is usually drunkard's daylight."  
He chuckles and holds up a receipt. "This is a spice shop. I realized a bit too late the manor was running rather low of marjoram and thyme, but thankfully I managed to place an order before the shop closed." The shop owner locks up the door and calls a quick farewell to Sebastian before walking off. Sebastian looks around, then sighs softly. "I apologize for our lack of communication on the case. I know it's been a week, but finding information has proven difficult, even for me."  
"No, no, it's fine. I never expected this to be easy. I appreciate you both being so forthcoming with your help, it's certainly made my life easie-" Movement out of the corner of my eye catches my attention, and I shift my gaze to investigate. "Wait.. that's fuckin' Maxwell White. What's he doing out 'ere?" I mutter, trying not to make it obvious I've seen him.  
"Has anyone ever told you you're the most vulgar woman they've ever met?"  
"Constantly. Focus, but don't make it obvious." He takes a glance to the side and immediately snaps his attention back to me, lowering his voice. "There's someone else with him - they appear to be wearing the same robes as that 'Kerrith' chap."  
"Shite." I take another quick glance - thankfully, we're far enough away that I don't think we'll be noticed. "From the looks of it, they're going toward the building with the construction outside... and I don't think Mr. White is being forced."  
Sebastian smirks slightly, stealing another glance at the two. "They've gone inside. Shall we?"  
"I like your style, Michaelis." Without missing a beat, we both make our way to the building in progress, quietly following the two inside. Soft footsteps lead us up the stairs to a floor only half built. Boxes, furniture, equipment, and building materials provide ample cover for us to eavesdrop on the two as their travel grinds to a stop.  
"Are you certain we weren't followed?" The cultist asks Maxwell in a hushed tone. Though their hood is up, they sound female.  
"I'm certain."  
"Then what is it that's so urgent?"  
Maxwell looks around quickly before replying. "Our Master prepared for that whore, but she isn't the only demon hunter in London." The cultist tilts her head, and the old man continues. "I've seen more - much more. They're hiding, but it's only a matter of time before the O'Kelly girl tells the others. The Lord is strong - but he is not as his full power yet."  
Sebastian casts me a concerned glance, and I swallow hard. _Shit - the bastard sold us out!_ The butler moves, looking as if he's about to do something about the two conspirators, but I quickly grab his arm and shake my head. Unfortunately, the movement causes a paintbrush to topple and fall. Sebastian and I freeze, staring in anticipation to see if we're noticed.  
The cultist immediately turns around, looking around the darkened half-room. "Someone's here - we were followed!"  
"What? Impossible! It was most likely a mouse." Maxwell scoffs.  
The cultist groans in irritation and begins to approach our hiding spot. Before I can do anything, I feel someone grab my arm and drag me around a box into a nearby wardrobe, a hand immediately clamping around my mouth.  
Sebastian leans down and shushes quietly in my ear, closing the door before the cultist rounds the corner to where we were hiding. A small crack in the door allows us to keep an eye on her, watching her scan the area carefully. I can already feel the sweat dripping down my back. _If we're caught, it will completely fuck this investigation.. shit, shit, please just move along._  
Thankfully, she ceases her search and returns to Maxwell's side. "If there was someone here, they're gone now. I'm leaving, before we're discovered. I suggest you do the same - I will relay this information to Lord Kerrith." Maxwell nods, and the two go their separate ways. Only once we're sure they're gone does Sebastian open the wardrobe door, allowing me to step out first.  
"I do apologize, Ms. O'Kelly. I hope I didn't make you uncomfortable."  
"No, no. Thank you for acting so quickly." I sigh and rub my face. "Fuck... fuck, this isn't good."  
"Other demon hunters?" He raises an eyebrow slightly in question. "Anyone else the young master and I shall be getting acquainted with?"  
"Hopefully not, but Kerrith knowing about them being here means we lose the element of surprise if we need their help - or worse, he'll pack up shop and move somewhere fuckin' else."  
Sebastian nods, looking over the horizon. "I doubt he'll move, he seems the stubborn type. I'll inform the young lord and see what he wishes to do about this." He smiles warmly and extends a hand for me to take. "I'm sure you'd like to get home to young Samuel. Please, allow me the pleasure of walking you home."


	8. Chapter 8

"Hatfield?"  
Ciel nods, glancing over the map that lie across his desk. "Hatfield. Sebastian claimed the cultists have been centralizing their activity there - even the Yard have been talking about it."  
"Shit, not the fuckin' Yard." I sigh and run a hand through my hair, glancing absently around the study in an attempt to get my thoughts in working order. "Hatfield... it's small, relatively out of the way, and has roads directly to London." My gaze turns to Sebastian. "Have the Yard taken a look into this yet?"  
"Not yet that I've heard, madame."  
"Good, that means we have some time. I don't want us going there alone, hopefully I can convince a few colleagues to-"  
"Nonsense." Ciel interrupts with a scoff, waving his hand dismissively. "The three of us should suffice."  
I chuckle in disbelief, shaking my head. "One traumatized demon hunter, a sixteen year old nobleman, and a slightly intimidating butler? Against a host of armed, psychotic cultists and a demon who, need I remind you, is slowly but surely regaining his power? Have you gone fucking mad, Phantomhive?" Looking at the two, neither of them seem to be joking. I sigh and rub my face, rolling my eyes back. "You two have a death wish, but if you're certain, I suppose I can't stop you. Not going will only put you at greater risk... if we die, I'm going to find you in hell just to kill you again, you little bastard."  
Ciel chuckles, a mischievous smirk spread across his face. "I'll count on it."

The carriage drops us on the outskirts of Hatfield, and Sebastian takes point to lead us toward the cultists' hideaway. The streets are dark, the small town feeling almost too quiet in the night, but the sound of hushed voices up ahead tells us our target is nearby. Sebastian directs us to hide in a small alley nearby, and disappears towards the sound of the voices. Not more than a moment later, he returns and directs us to follow. What looks like an old library comes plainly into view, the source of the voices nowhere to be found. We stop by the stairs, ducking into the shadows.  
"The entrance might be guarded." I whisper to the two, taking a cautious glance around the railing. "I'll go take a look, you two stay here and let me know if you see anyone comin'." They nod silently in response as I hop the railing and slowly creep up to the door. To my surprise, it's unlocked, and a quick glance inside shows at least four cultists in the entryway. The door closes with a soft click, and I duck behind the stairs once again. "There's four of 'em in the entryway, but I couldn't see much. I don't want them calling reinforcements, so we need to do this quiet. I think if we do this right, we can get in without alerting anyone." Sebastian chuckles, and I flash him a look. "Somethin' funny over there, Chuckles?"  
"Young Master, shall I dispose of them?" He turns to the noble. When Ciel nods, Sebastian cracks a smile.  
"Whoa, wait a mi-" Before I can get a sentence out, Sebastian disappears behind the other side of the stairs. "You bloody idiot, you're gonna get us killed!" Snarling under my breath, I run out from our hiding spot and over to the door, swinging it open with my pistol at the ready. Much to my surprise, Sebastian had already knocked unconscious or killed the four in the entryway, and he finishes twisting the neck of a watchman I hadn't noticed as the door clicks shut behind me.  
He turns to face me, blood on his face, and inclines his head. "Surely you had more faith in me than that, my lady."  
My eye twitches as I re-holster my gun, carefully stepping around the bodies of the cultists. He watches me, as if expecting a response, but I just keep looking at the blood. _He did this? How did he even get in, I never heard the door open? How did he do it so fast?_  
"Madame, are you alright?"  
"How?" I blurt out, snapping my attention to him. "How did you do all this so quickly? How did you even get in here?"  
"You made a mess." Ciel calls out, walking over to us. "Come, we don't have all night, let's get this over with."  
Sebastian smirks, shooting me a wink before turning and leading us deeper into the abandoned library. It seems the cultists had cleared everything out and converted it into a cathedral of sorts, a large altar resting on the far end of the building with benches in rows almost as far back as the door. A few cultists sit on the benches, seemingly unaware of our presence, and what look to be initiates clean the altarspace and podium. The butler cracks his knuckles loudly, immediately drawing the attention of everyone in the room. "This will take but a moment."

To our disappointment - Kerrith is nowhere to be found. After interrogating the cultists, what few of them could still talk, we learn the real headquarters for the cult's operations is in Liverpool - almost three days travel north from London. The more I flip through my notes, the more frustrated I get, and I ultimately put the notebook down. The Yard, having been called earlier, escorts the last of the cultists out of the library. With a heavy sigh, I stand and begin to follow, noticing Sebastian talking with one of the Yard officers near the other side of the room.  
"Sebastian!" I call out, quickly diverting my path. "Oi, Michaelis!"  
He turns to me, his mouth curving into a smirk. "Detective? I thought you'd gone-"  
"Who the fuck are you?" I ask suddenly, crossing my arms. The Yard officer seems to read the emotion of the room and takes his leave. When he's done, I redirect my attention to the butler. "Secret service? Trained assassin?.. Christ, are you a fucking hunter?" Sebastian's smirk grows wider, but he doesn't respond. "You took out almost all of those bloody cultists by your damn self. Now I expect that _maybe_ from the Queen's guard, if there were fuckin' three of them. I've seen a lot of shite in my day, but that was just baffling."  
He pauses for a moment with that damned smirk still plastered on his face. "Secret service? You flatter me, Detective." Reaching out, he gently takes my hand and bows, bringing my knuckles to his lips. "Why, Ms. O'Kelly - I'm simply one hell of a butler."


	9. Chapter 9

"A ball." I mutter, raising an eyebrow at the earl. "What exactly, lord Phantomhive, is the purpose of attendin' a ball while we're in the middle of an investigation?"  
"Are you familiar with a Sir Henry Etheridge II, Detective O'Kelly?" Ciel asks, not looking up from the letter he's writing.  
"The noble from Derby? Vaguely - all I know is he owns the Etheridge mining company with his brother, and the Yard thinks he might be tied in with the Liverpool cultists," I sigh and shake my head. "..but a hunch of a connection isn't enough to go on, lad."  
"It's more than a hunch, madame." Sebastian pipes up, handing a few papers to me. "I did a bit of digging on Sir Etheridge. He recently purchased an abandoned museum, and repurposed the facility - no one is sure what for, as guards refuse to let anyone in. However, Sir Henry has been seen entering and exiting the building numerous times with cloaked individuals wearing the same pattern as Maxwell White when we saw him last."  
After glancing through the papers, I nod and hand them back. "That _is_ more than a hunch." I direct my attention back to the young lord, who has finished writing his letter. "I take it you expect our good friend Henry to be in attendance?"  
"More than that - he's the host." He seals the letter with a wax stamp and hands it off to Sebastian. "Which means his compatriots within the Order are likely to be in attendance as well. It's the perfect opportunity to snoop around and learn what we can - or, better yet, find out how to gain access to the Liverpool headquarters." He pauses and looks me up and down, raising an eyebrow. "I trust you won't be attending dressed like that?"  
"I'm sorry, when exactly did we discuss my going?" I scoff in reply. "Do I look like someone who attends parties with fancy-pants nobles?"b  
"Not right now, no. I'm sure Sebastian can help with that."  
Sebastian tilts his head slightly. "Apologies for the inconvenience, Ms. O'Kelly, but as you're far more familiar with the cult than the young master or myself, we felt it necessary that you accompany us."  
Letting out a heavy sigh, I cross my arms and look off to the side. "I suppose you have a point.. are you seriously going to make me wear a dress?"  
"If you find it less suspicious to show up looking like you're ready to fight and arrest Sir Etheridge in his own home, then by all means."  
"...I'm not wearing a bloody corset."  
"Deal."

"The night of Henry's ball arrives, and I very hesitantly follow Sebastian to a guest room of the Phantomhive manor. He hands me a box, and bows slightly. "I was not sure as to your tastes, but I do believe you will be comfortable in this. You can find me in the hallway when you've changed - if you should need help, just knock on the door."  
I nod and murmur a quiet "thank you" as he leaves. Making sure the door is locked, I lay the box on the bed and open it up. Thankfully, the maroon dress Sebastian chose is neither flashy nor too revealing, which calms my nerves at least slightly. I shed my clothes and don the unfamiliar outfit, keeping an eye on the door. Once the dress is on correctly, I quietly walk over to the door and open it up - sure enough, Sebastian is standing in the hallway, his attention snapping to me when the door opens. He sucks in a breath through his teeth, and his eyes almost seem to light up. "Think this will appease his majesty downstairs?" I joke nervously, scanning the butler's face for signs of disapproval.  
His gaze meets mine, and he smiles - the first genuine smile I've seen since we met. "If I may be so bold, Detective... you look absolutely ravishing." He responds, his voice practically a whisper.  
My eyes widen, and I feel my face immediately start to heat up. "I-I.. uh.. I..."  
Ciel climbs the top of the stares, looking from Sebastian to me. "I assume the two of you are ready? The carriage is here."  
"Of course. Shall we, Ms. O'Kelly?" The butler's expression returns to his usual sly smirk, and I shake my head as we make our way towards the front door.

The carriage drops us off at Sir Etheridge's brick estate, and we're welcomed by the host himself as soon as we step inside. "Lord Phantomhive, so glad you can make it!" The older gentleman lets out a hearty laugh, shaking the younger lad's hand. "I'm sure you're a busy man, but your presence here is quite the honor."  
"You know me, sir? A fan of the company, perhaps?"  
"Of course! Funtam has certainly made a name for itself!" Henry strokes his gray-streaked beard, shaking Sebastian's hand. "The butler, I take it? A pleasure, sir." His eyes rest on me, and his eyes narrow slightly. "Who might we have here? I don't believe we've been introduced, madame."  
"Detective Lillian O'Kelly." Ciel pipes up, his hands resting on his cane. "She's been quite the asset on our case for the Queen, I thought it only fitting that the woman get some recognition."  
"A detective? My my, making our way in the world, aren't we?"  
I plaster a smile on my face and manage a chuckle. "Certainly trying, sir. It's been quite the pleasure workin' with the Lord here."  
"Ah! An Irish girl - you Phantomhives always did have great taste. Pleasure to make your acquaintance, miss." He gently takes my hand and kisses my knuckles, quickly flashing me a wink. When he turns back to Ciel, I take a step closer to Sebastian. "Well, do make yourselves at home! I've no doubt my guests would be delighted to meet such interesting characters such as yourselves. I'll surely see you again before the night is over!" He shakes Ciel's hand again before walking off to join a group of nobles elsewhere in the large ballroom.  
"Well that was disgusting." I grumble quietly, crossing my arms. "Hopefully we'll get what we need soon and we can just fuckin' leave."


	10. Chapter 10

"I'll focus on distracting the guests," Ciel mutters quietly. "You two keep an eye in Sir Henry - if his fellow cultists are here, he's sure to sneak off and try to join them."  
Sebastian nods, and I furrow my brows in concern. "Are you sure you'll be alright on your own, Phantomhive? Won't they get suspicious if they don't see Sebastian or I?"  
"Trust me, Detective, I've gotten fairly adept at distracting pompous nobles." He chuckles. "As long as we don't lose Henry, we'll be fine."  
The night drags on fairly slowly at first, fake smiles and forced conversation seem to make things run smoothly. Ciel was right, however - he certainly is good at keeping the guests occupied. I doubt I'd have the mental energy to talk about nonsense as casually as he does. Soon enough, the music in the room changes pace, and everyone begins to migrate to the middle of the room to dance. Sebastian walks up to me and bows slightly, extending a hand for me to take. "May I have this dance, Ms. O'Kelly?"  
I immediately tense up, taking a small step back. "Are you mad?" I whisper. "You think I know how to dance?"  
"Then allow me the honor of teaching you." He smiles, the same genuine smile from the manor. "Would you rather it be me, or one of the fine gentlemen from the crowd that's had their eyes on you all night? I know I would be much more comfortable having you at my side than theirs."  
Sighing, I slowly place my hand in his, allowing him to lead me to the dance floor. He hovers a hand over my lower back, waiting for my approval before touching me. At my nod, he pulls me close to him.  
"Just follow my lead." He murmurs, starting slow to allow me time to follow his steps. When I seem to have the hang of the pattern, he picks up the pace just enough for us to be in time with the music. I catch a glimpse of Ciel chuckling from the crowd, but for his own sake I pretend it was my imagination. "For not knowing how to dance, you're doing far better than he does." Sebastian smirks, pulling my focus back to him. "I've had a question weighing on my mind, if I may ask - why did you decide to become a hunter?"  
I sigh, falling quiet for a moment before answering. "After what happened to my family, I.. wanted revenge, I suppose. I didn't want to feel powerless like that again."  
He nods. "Reminds me of a young earl we know. Did your father train you?"  
"He did, actually. Practically demanded it when the Headmaster assigned my mentor."  
"Well, my compliments to the gentleman. He raised one hell of a woman."  
The song comes to an end, and Sebastian withdraws his arm from around me. "Apologies for my candor, Detective. I do hope I've not crossed any boundaries."  
"No, no, Sebastian, you're quite alright - just don't go soft on me." I chuckle softly, glancing past the taller gentleman to the other end of the room. Sir Henry can be seen looking around the room at the guests, before slipping into a darker hallway. "Sebastian, Etheridge is on the move."  
He looks over his shoulder at the retreating host and nods. "I suppose that's our cue. Shall we?" I nod, and we carefully make our way through the crowd toward the hallway where Henry disappeared. Thankfully, it appears no one noticed. The hallway is lit, but just barely, and we duck behind a doorway when he slows to a stop. Upon looking around the corner, we notice a hooded figure emerge from a room at the end of the hallway.  
"Ruina est hominis erit nostrum aurora." The hooded figure mutters, barely audible from where Sebastian and I stand.  
"Dominum nostrum erit ille sol." Henry replies, shaking the figure's hand. "It's good to see you, brother. How are the preparations going?"  
"According to plan, thank our Lord. The Yard have hardly delayed the inevitable, they're nothing but a bunch of inept fools. All that's left is to find the boy, and the ceremony will be ready."  
"Excellent! Is there anything else you should need from me?"  
The hooded figure shakes his head. "Your supplying us with a secure base was more than sufficient, my brother. The Prophets will take it from here. Your service will most definitely be rewarded when our Lord brings about the new age. Go - enjoy your ball. We'll contact you when the time is right."  
"Of course. Safe travels, my friend." The two shake hands once again, and Henry makes his way back down the hall.  
Sebastian and I duck back behind the doorway. "Shit, what do we do? He'll surely see us-" Before I can finish my thought, Sebastian pins me to the wall and crashes his lips into mine. My eyes go wide, and I can feel my heart pounding in my chest. _What the fuck is he doing?!_  
Henry's footsteps reach our hiding spot, and I hear him let out a laugh. "Bloody hell you two, if you needed some privacy you'd need only ask!"  
Sebastian pulls away from me, letting out an awkward chuckle. "Apologies, sir. We didn't want to be a burden."  
Henry waves a hand dismissively. "Bah, I remember what it's like to be young and in love. Hell, that room there is vacant if you need it!" He chuckles and continues out to the rest of the crowd.  
Sebastian turns back to me. "I sincerely apologize, Detective. Are you alright?"  
"F-Fine, I'm fine." My voice cracks slightly, and I can feel the heat rising in my face. Clearing my throat, I steal a glance down the hallway - sure enough, the figure is gone. With a sigh, I turn back to Sebastian. "What was that they said? It sounded like Latin."  
"Well, it wasn't perfect, but it roughly translates to 'The fall of man will be our dawn', and 'Our Lord shall be the sun'. Some kind of passphrase, I assume."  
"Which would be our ticket into the museum." I look up at him, my heart still pounding in my chest, before shaking my head and ducking out from between his arms. "Come on, we should find Ciel and get the hell out of here before Henry catches on."


	11. Chapter 11

"Christ, it feels good to be in my own clothes again." I sigh with relief, straightening out my coat. "What would you like me to do with the dress?"  
"Keep it." Ciel responds with a yawn. "I've no use for it. I've called a carriage to bring you home, it should be here in a few moments. If you've some free time tomorrow morning, I'd like to discuss our plans going forward from here."  
I nod, and shake the young man's hand. "That works for me, lad."  
Sebastian clears his throat quietly. "If I may make a request, young master - might I accompany Ms. O'Kelly home? I wanted to talk about the events of tonight."  
Ciel looks at me, clearly waiting for approval. I give a slight nod, and he yawns again. "Fine. I'm going to bed. Goodnight, detective." He turns on his heel and retreats to his bedroom, leaving Sebastian and I alone to wait for the carriage. We make our way outside, and the horse comes into view not a few minutes later.  
"Firstly, I'd like to apologize." Sebastian pipes up as we climb inside, allowing me to instruct the driver where to go before continuing. "What happened in the hallway was purely last-second thinking, I certainly had no ill-intent."  
A blush creeps across my cheeks, and I shift my gaze toward the world outside this box. "I understand, Sebastian, you've no need to apologize. I was more shocked than anything else."  
He breathes a small sigh of relief, and nods. "Now, the second thing I wanted to talk about.. the individual Sir Etheridge talked to tonight said something about 'finding the boy'. You.. don't think they meant your son, do you?"  
My breath catches in my throat, and I swallow hard. "Shit.. I'd been so focused on everythin' else that the thought had completely slipped my mind. Kerrith had never even acknowledged Sam until the night we caught him at Maxwell's house.. but I doubt there's anyone else they'd have interest in." Letting out a sigh, I rub my face and finally make weary eye contact with the butler. "You don't think...?"  
He shakes his head. "I've not the slightest clue, unfortunately. I do, however, believe keeping the boy close at hand is a good idea as we draw closer to ending this case. If at any point you should feel he isn't safe, please don't hesitate to let us know - I'm sure the young lord and I can help in some way." The carriage slows to a stop, and Sebastian steps out, reaching a hand up to help me out.  
"Mum!" Sam calls excitedly, dashing toward us from the front door and crashing into my legs. "You were gone so long, I got worried the bad guys got you!"  
I let out a chuckle and hug him tight, trying not to let my previous conversation push my worries out into the open. "I'm sorry, love. I promise everything's fine." My cousin William emerges from the front door, brown hair almost covering his tired eyes. "I'm sorry, Will - I didn't mean to be out so late."  
"Tis' no concern of mine where you go, just happy you're safe." He glances at Sebastian, but returns his attention to me a moment later. "Anyway, I'm headin' home. Have a good night, Lily." He ruffles Sam's hair and mumbles a quiet "goodnight, sir" to Sebastian before beginning his walk home.  
Sam looks up at Sebastian with curious eyes. "Hi, I'm Sam! I'm nine."  
Sebastian chuckles and bows slightly. "My name is Sebastian. A pleasure to meet you, young man."  
"Bedtime, Sam. Let's go inside." I chuckle, patting my son's shoulder. He calls out a quick goodnight before dashing back inside. "I'll see you and Phantomhive in the morning.. and.. thank you for being so kind tonight. Certainly made this a hell of a lot easier."  
The taller gentleman smirks slightly and inclines his head in a small nod. "My pleasure, madame."

Sam looks about the Phantomhive manor in wonder, a large grin spread across his face. "Wow, this house is _huge!_ Is it really just you?"  
Ciel nods. "My servants and I, yes. Speaking of which - do you three think you can handle watching him? Bard, I trust we won't come back to missing limbs."  
The chef scoffs, crossing his arms. "I used to watch my nephews all the time, I can handle it."  
"Come on, little Sam, I can go show you the garden!" Finny laughs, picking up the boy and cheerfully carrying him outside.  
I let out a small chuckle, watching Bard and Mey-rin chase after them. "You certainly have lively staff, Phantomhive."  
The teen grumbles and rubs his temples. "It's a constant headache living with them, I swear." He clears his throat, gesturing for me to follow him to his office. "Considering we're all still alive, it's safe to assume Etheridge hasn't caught on to last night's ruse. Sebastian mentioned something about some sort of passphrase they used?" We reach his office, and he leads the way inside, taking a seat at his desk.  
"Yes, something in Latin - 'Our Lord shall be the sun'?"  
"Dominum nostrum erit ille sol." Sebastian pipes up, bringing a knuckle to his chin in thought. "Though, as I'm sure the detective has realized by now, the passphrase alone won't get us inside. We'll need to look the part as well. Detective, would the Yard have any in custody?"  
I nod. "They confiscated a bunch of the cultists' robes when we raided their bloody cathedral in Hatfield, I'm sure I can lean on Chief Harrington a bit and get him to let me borrow them. They all wear masks, so we shouldn't be recognizable, and as long as at least one of us remembers the phrase we should be fine."  
Ciel taps his fingers on his desk, clearly thinking. The room falls silent for a moment, and then he speaks. "There were other cultists at the ball last night." He murmurs, closing his eyes. "They said something about a ceremony next week. That's most likely our best time to get in, at least without drawing attention to ourselves." He opens his eyes again and sighs softly. "Bloody hell, this is exhausting.. either way, I'll see if I can find an exact date." His gaze locks on me, and he tilts his head slightly. "How do you feel, being so close to ending this? You've been fairly calm throughout this whole ordeal."  
I take a deep breath and let it out in a sigh, shaking my head. "Excited.. terrified.. mostly ready to see this end, and give that bastard exactly what he deserves."


	12. Chapter 12

The couch feels so comfortable as I sink myself into the cushions, rubbing my face. It's been four days since the ball at Henry Etheridge's estate, and my nerves have refused to calm down. Something's wrong, I can _feel_ it, but I can't quite figure out what it is. Phantomhive and his staff have been remarkably helpful - honestly, without them, I would have lost my wits ages before making any progress on the case - and Sebastian... Christ, that man's motives remains a complete mystery to me, but.. never have I been so comforted by a simple smile.  
A knock at the door jolts me from my thoughts, and I reluctantly rise from my spot on the couch to answer the door. "Headmaster Murphy?" My eyebrows raise in surprise at the sight of the older man and the demon hunters in his company. "To what do I owe the pleasure, sir? Not every day you come to my side of London."  
"Lillian." He responds flatly, the seemingly-disgusted scowl never leaving his face. "Might we come in? There are important matters at hand we must discuss."  
"Um, yes, please." I step aside to let them in, taking note of the six men that follow him inside. "Is something the matter, Patrick? You lads don't look too happy to be he-" Before I can get a word out, one of the other hunters steps forward and swings his fist right into my stomach. The impact forces the air from my lungs, and I drop to my knees, coughing. Him and another hunter grab my arms and hold me in place.  
"Lillian O'Kelly, you are charged with consortin' with Hell's own spawn, and are hereby excommunicated from the Circle. You will be labeled a traitor, and your rights within our organization are now forfeit."  
"Consorting with _demons?_ Are you fuckin' mad?!" I snarl, glaring up at my former headmaster. "Who are these demons I've been talkin' to? What proof do you have? I've been working on my case for weeks, I've hardly even talked with anyone but my partners!"  
He produces a folder from under his cloak, dropping it on the floor in front of me. Various photos and newspaper clippings spill out - most notably among them being pictures of the Phantomhive estate, and Sebastian. "The Phantomhive lad disappeared the night his manor was attacked, and set aflame. Upon his return, he had a butler at his side - no-one knew who he was, why he was there, or where he'd come from." I swear I feel my heart stop beating as he continues. "Sebastian Michaelis has been witnessed taking down large groups of men on his own, performing inhuman feats of athleticism, being shot multiple times with nary a scratch on his hide, and he was foolish enough to let one of his victims escape. That thing is a demon, and your partnership is in direct violation of our code."  
"..N-No, he.. but.. you think I had any idea about this, you bastard?!" Something hits the side of my face, the blunt force forcing my head to the side.  
"Hunters consorting with demons hold no place among our ranks." Headmaster Murphy snarls, though I can hardly hear it with the ringing in my ears. It clears just enough for me to hear footsteps rushing upstairs, and I instantly begin to struggle against the bastards holding me down.  
"No, no! Mum!" Sam cries out in fear, struggling against the man carrying him down. "Mum, don't let them take me!"  
"Leave him alone!" I snarl, earning another hard blow to the side of my head. I feel blood trickling down from my brow before I see it fall to the floor.  
"You are no longer under our protection - and as such, neither is your half-breed son. As his existence is _also_ in direct violation of our code, he will be taken into our custody, where the Council will decide his fate." Patrick Murphy nods to his comrades, and I drop to the floor as the grip on my arms is released. Trying to rise to my feet earns me a swift kick to the side. My son's cries echo in the house as he's carried out the door after the others. Shakily, I manage to rise to my feet, wiping blood from my eyes and rushing as best I can out the door. Already loaded into their carriages, I can still hear Sam's crying as they start to head off.  
"No.. no..!" I snarl, regaining enough of my balance to give chase. I don't even see the gunman aiming before I hear the bang, and the force of the bullet hitting my shoulder sends me backwards. "FUCK!" Crying out, I immediately clap a hand over the wound, tears rushing to my eyes. "Fuck... no... _Sam_...!"

**Sebastian P.O.V**  
On my way back with supplies for the manner, I decide to detour to the Detective's house and see if she's made any progress with the Yard's chief. We've heard no word in the last couple days, and I would be lying if I said I wasn't concerned. No sooner do I turn onto her street than the stench of blood fills my nostrils, sending my senses on alert. I scan the road as I slow my pace, looking for the source. Sure enough, just a few feet from the detective's residence, there's a small pool of blood in the middle of the road. Is.. nervous the right word? I don't believe I've been nervous before. Almost against my will, I drop the supplies and make a mad dash for the door. As soon as I enter the doorway, the sound of a gun going off rings in my ears as pain shoots up from my side. Snarling, I look up from my new wound, only to see Lily shakily pointing a gun at me, her free hand trying to cover the dripping wound in her shoulder. "Detective! Bloody hell, are you alri-"  
"You're a demon." She snarls, keeping the gun fixed on me. Tears flow freely from her eyes as she takes a small step back, blood dripping to the floor from multiple wounds. "I want answers, and I want them _now."_


	13. Chapter 13

Sebastian stands there for a moment, just staring at me - from where I stand, it doesn't even look like he's breathing. After a few moments, he lets out a small sigh and takes a small step forward. "What do you want to know, Detective?"  
As he advances a pace, I take a step back, intent on keeping at least some distance between us. The longer I keep my gun raised toward him, the more my arm begins to shake, the pain from the bullet in my shoulder beginning to spread down my arm. Nevertheless, I keep my arm up. "Your name, for starters. Your real name." I mutter, removing my hand from the bullet wound long enough to wipe the remaining tears from my face.  
"Naturally." He places a hand on his heart and bows slightly. "Duke Alcaris, madame, is my name... Though you have no reason to accept any request from me, I would be most appreciative if you didn't share that with anyone."  
_Fuck my arm hurts..._ "A bloody duke. Of course." Taking a deep breath, I swallow hard against the pain and continue. "I know you have a contract with the Phantomhive lad... I don't need to know any details, that isn't my business, but I do want to know your plan. The last thing I need is to be worried about your claws in my damn back."  
He takes another small step forward, never taking his eyes off me. "My plan? As of right now, complete my contract with the young master. Once that is done with... I'm not sure. The future holds that answer, I suppose." Another step forward for him, and another back for me. My back hits the wall, and I immediately tense up. Sebastian stops for a moment, gauging my reaction, before slowly walking forward again. "I can assure you, Ms. O'Kelly, I have no intention of betraying you - not now, nor in the future."  
Sweat begins to bead on my forehead as keeping my aim steady becomes nigh impossible. The shaking in my hand has grown more aggressive, my free hand covered in blood from trying to plug the wound. "I don't believe you." I huff, sweat mixed with blood dripping down my face as he continues to draw closer.  
"Have I given you any reason to think I would betray you? Any at all to think I would intend harm on you, or your son?"  
"N-No... but.. how do I know that won't change?"  
With one final step, he closes the distance between himself and my gun, the barrel pressing into his chest. "I suppose, Detective, you'll just have to trust me."  
"Trust you? A _demon?"  
_"If you don't trust me, what's stopping you from pulling that trigger?"  
The mostly-empty house falls silent, the two of us standing there for what feels like an eternity. His eyes give off a faint glow, but his gaze remains soft while I stare up at him with a mixture of fear and hate. The tears I thought had gone begin to well in my eyes, spilling down my cheeks and blurring my vision.  
"Lily?" He whispers softly, raising a hand up to gently wipe the tears from my cheek. "You're hurt, love." Slowly, his other hand comes up and rests it on the barrel of the gun, pushing it down. "Please... let me help you."  
My shoulder finally buckles from the pain, my arm falling limp at my side and the pistol dropping from my fingers. "T-The hunters took Sam." I whimper, exhaustion and sadness finally taking over. Shoulders shaking, I bow my head, letting my sobs come freely. "He's j-just a lad, he... he didn't ask for this..."  
Sebastian gently grabs my chin and tilts my head up, making me look at him. "We'll get him back - I promise. However, you'll be no help to him like this. Come with me back to the manor - we can bandage you up, and inform the young earl of what's happened."

"Here, bite on this." Baldroy instructs, placing a leather belt between my teeth. "Seems weird, but it'll keep you from hurtin' your jaw." I nod in response, and he turns to Sebastian. "Need anythin' else?"  
"No, that will be all, thank you." The chef nods and exits the room, leaving just Sebastian, Ciel and I. The butler turns to me and waits for my readying nod before starting to remove the bullet from my arm.  
"So." Ciel pipes up. "You know."  
"Mm." I nod, mumbling around the belt. I bite down hard and groan in pain as Sebastian opens the wound further. He murmurs a quiet apology before continuing his work.  
"The fact you're letting him anywhere near you tells me all I need." The young noble nods, narrowing his eyes slightly. My grip on the arm of the chair tightens as the butler continues his work, eventually managing to remove the bullet from my shoulder. I remove the belt from my mouth as he starts mending the wound. Ciel yawns softly, tapping his cane. "Why did your headmaster take your son, especially after all this time?"  
"My father pleaded my case to the council when Sam was born. They were promised a demon hunter, I was promised safety for my son. As long as I did what they wanted, he was safe." I sigh softly and shake my head. "When they found out about Sebastian, they stripped me of my rights - and Sam's. He's no longer under their protection."  
"Detective?" Sebastian pipes up, earning the earl's and my attention. "The insignia on the back of this bullet.. it's the same as the Order."  
"_What?" _He drops the bullet in my hand, and I take a look. Sure enough, there it is - serpent's head with blood dripping from the fangs. Small, but there. I hand it back to him, hands shaking slightly, and rub my face. "Fuck... _fuck..."_  
"If it's any consolation," Ciel murmurs. "I did receive word from one of my sources about the cult and their little museum. It seems they're getting ready for a ceremony they plan to hold in three days - that might be our best time to get in without drawing suspicion."  
Taking a deep breath and letting it out in a sigh, I rise from my seat and make my way to the window, staring outside as I try to collect my thoughts. "Liverpool is three days travel from here." I mutter, not looking away from the view outside. "We'll need to leave tonight if we're to make it in time."  
"Tonight it is. Gather whatever you need and meet us back here in, say, four hours?"  
"Four hours."


End file.
